Cynical and innocent, Banks is caught up in a dangerous world he knows little about: "By the way, Mr. Banks, you do know what it is that we do here, don't you?"
"Of course," Banks said, lying again, trying to appear mildly indignant.
But the mission does not begin auspiciously: "We don't like Americans no more," the kid says.
And then it gets worse: "It had been a government gunboat. It looked as if it had been hit with several grenades. It was scorched and raked with gunfire. He couldn't tell when it had happened but it was recent."
Nothing he has lived through up to now has prepared him for the challenges facing him now: a budding insurgency, his home and place of work reduced to smoldering ashes, accidentally hitching a ride with a suicide truck bomber . . .
He dreams he is bathed in the glow of the 60 inch Visio with a warm Swanson on the tray table in front of him, the Bulls are ahead. Last time out called. Will he survive to live the dream?
Read it and find out.